07-24-1979 Regular Meeting
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
A Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Clermont was held in the Council
Chambers on Tuesday, July 24, 1979. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Mayor
Claude E.Smoak, Jr., with the following members present: Councilmen Honey, Schroedel, and
Cole. City officials present were: City Manager Forbes, City Attorney Baird, Finance
Director Sanchez, and Building Official Nagel. Others present were: Mrs. J. Smith, Reverend
and Mrs. Thomas G. Legg; Mr. & Mrs. Vernon Schneider; Mr. & Mrs. John Aull; Mr. & Mrs.
Wm. Kopf; and the Messrs. Millward, Sargent, and Searles. Mr.Ray Lynch, a representative
of the SENTINEL STAR was also present.
The invocation was offered by Mayor Smoak, followed by repeating of the Pledge of
Allegiance in unison by those present.
The Minutes of the Regular Meeting held July 10, 1979 were approved as written.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Council, sitting as a Board of Adjustment, considered the following Zoning Code
requests:
A request by Reverend Thomas G. Legg for a variance in the living area requirements
for a duplex from the required 700 square feet to 576 square feet for one unit of
a proposed duplex to be constructed on Lots 40 and 41, Block 9, Sunnyside Unit
(vacant lot at 163-165 Sunnyside Drive), an R3 zoning district. Reverend Legg
appeared before Council in support of his request advising that the smaller living
unit was desired on the lower portion of the proposed duplex in order to accomodate
two one-car garages, and; That the proposed duplex would give the outward appearance
of a single-family residence. Inquiry was made from the Chair for a determination
of whether a unique hardship existed on this parcel of land, wherein City Attorney
Baird advised that financial hardships, if created by the topography of a parcel
of land, would constitute a "hardship". Following inquiry from the Chair, there
was no one present who addressed the matter, whereupon motion was made by Mayor
Smoak, seconded by Councilman Cole and unanimously carried that the request be granted.
A request by Mr. John Aull for a variance in the lot width requirements from the
required 100 feet to 70 feet in order to allow for the construction of a duplex on
Lot 22, Block 9, Sunnyside Unit (vacant lot at 255 Sunnyside Drive), an R3 zoning
district. Mr. Aull appeared before Council in support of his request advising that
he was the owner of the property to the rear of this lot, which one day he intended
to building a home for himself and his wife, wherein they were desirous of having
a pleasant, creditable structure abutting their rear yard; That it was his under-
standing that several adjacent properties in the area were of duplex construction.
Mr. James Millward, architect for Mr. Aull, appeared before Council advising that
the proposed construction would meet all setback requirements, and he felt such
construction would be of a benefit to the neighborhood. Inqiury was made from the
Chair as to the recent purchase of this lot by the applicant; Whether additional
adjacent property was available for purchase; and, Whether the applicant was aware
of the zoning requirements at the time of purchase. Mr. Aull advised he had
purchased the lot within the past 5 months; That no additional adjacent property was
available for purchase, and; That he was aware of the zoning requirements at the
time he purchased the property. Inquiry was made from the Chair as to anyone present
who desired to address the matter, at which time Mr. Vernon Schneider, an abutting
property owner to the south, advised he had been in contact with other abutting
property owners, namely Messrs. Rowbottom and Jaynes, and they felt that inasmuch
as the zoning ordinance was specific in requiring 100 feet lot width for duplex
construction, that Mr. Aull was aware of the zoning requirements at the time he
purchased the property, and that the proposed duplex would create increased density
levels, they felt the request should be denied. He further advised that both he
and the Rowbottom's lived in duplexes (on the north and south sides consecutively)
which had been converted into single-family residences. A letter in objection to the
request was submitted to Council from Mr. Russell Hollister. Inasmuch as several
property owners in the area were opposed to the request, and Mr. Aull's recent
purchase of the property in that he was aware of the zoning requirements at the time
of purchase, motion was made by Mayor Smoak, seconded by Councilman Honey, and
unanimously carried that the request be denied.
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
CETA AGREEMENT
City Manager Forbes presented an agreement from the Lake County Comprehensive
Manpower Services for the renewal of contract for three CETA positions currently
held by the City, advising he had reviewed the agreement and recommended that it
be adopted. The Council was in agreement with the City Manager's recommendation.
COMMUNITY APPEARANCE GUIDE
City Manager Forbes presented a proposed "Community Appearance Guide" as prepared
by the Community Appearance Standards Committee of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
He advised the purpose of the Guide is to assist the City Council, staff, and citizens
in making decisions that will enhance public appearance; That the Guide would be of a
voluntary and informative nature; That it could be used by city officials in order to
determine how a project might affect an area (i.e. site plan or conditional use permit
reviews); That it would be distributed to citizens when obtaining a building permit,
and; That he recommended it be adopted. Motion was made by Councilman Schroedel,
seconded by Councilman Cole and unanimously carried that the "Community Appearance
Guide" be adopted, with authority given to the proper officials for printing and
distribution.
UTILITY RATE SCHEDULE
City Manager Forbes submitted a proposed utility rate schedule as previously discussed
by Council at their last workshop meeting. He presented the adjusted rate schedule
as follows:
SANITATION: Increase rates for multiple family dwellings
parks to $5.50 per unit; and, That for commercial users,
$1.15 to $2.00 for each additional garbage can over two.
residential uses will remain unchanged.
and mobile home
an increase from
Fees for
SEWER: Residential - Increase from $6.00 to $6.75. Multiple-family-
$6.25 per unit (The 50~ reduction from residential rates is created by
lessened billing procedures for these accounts.) Commercial - classify
these users into one of six categories instead of the current seventeen.
WATER:
gallons.
per 1,000
currently
$.50 per 1,000 gallons remain constant for usage over 3,000
This would end the current practice of reducing rates to $.40
gallons for usage over 10,000 gallons. Eliminate the $1.00 fee
charged for each apartment or mobile home serviced by one meter.
Mayor Smoak reminded Council that even with the proposed rate increases, the sewer
department will still be operating at a deficit which will have to be subsidized;
That utility rates have not been increased in three years; and, That he felt the
proposed increases were necessary and would hope that the proposed ordinance
pertaining to these increases would be introduced at the proper time.
Councilman Schroedel questioned charging laundries and car washes sewer rates equal
to only 75% of water usage, in that these uses generate higher levels of phosphorus,
which is costly to remove from the City's system. It was requested that the City
Manager investigate the types of detergent's used in conjunction with these
establishments, and that he review the County's present ordinance regarding these
uses to determine if all requirements are being met.
RESOLUTIONS/ORDINANCES
Councilman Honey offered and moved the adoption of a RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF
CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, GRANTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW USE
OF AN EXISTING BUILDING AS A DAY CARE CENTER, and the motion was seconded by
Councilman Cole and unanimously carried. The RESOLUTION was read by Deputy Clerk
Smith, by title only, and the number 332 assigned to it.
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CITY OF CLERMONT
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Councilman Honey offered and moved the adoption of AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF
CLERMONT, FLORIDA, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 195, AS AMENDED, WHICH WAS INCORPORATED
AS SECTION 16, ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED; REVISING THE DEFINITION OF EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDING FOR A DEFINITION OF
POLICEMAN AND FIREMEN; PROVIDING FOR THE COVERAGE AND DEFINITION OF VOLUNTEER FIRE-
MEN UNDER THE PLAN; REVISING THE FORMULAS FOR COMPUTING RETIREMENT HEREWITH;
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE, and the motion was seconded by Councilman Schroedel.
The ORDINANCE was read for a second and final reading by Deupty Clerk Smith, by
title only, and upon roll call vote on passage of the motion, the result was:
Ayes: Honey, Cole, Schroedel, and Smoak. Total Ayes: Four. Nayes: None. Absent:
Byrd. So the ORDINANCE was adopted and the number 197-C assigned to it.
Councilman Honey introduced AN ORDINANCE UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 25-16 and SECTION 25-17 OF CHAPTER
25; PROVIDING THAT RATES FOR WATER SERVICE, SEWER AND SANITATION SERVICE BE
ESTABLISHED BY MISCELLANEOUS ORDINANCE; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND PROVIDING FOR
PUBLICATION and the ORDINANCE was read for a first reading by Deputy Clerk Smith,
by title only.
Councilman Schroedel introduced AN ORDINANCE UNDER THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY
OF CLERMONT, LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ESTABLISHING A RATE SCHEDULE FOR WATER SERVICE,
SEWER SERVICE AND SANITATION SERVICE; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND PROVIDING FOR
PUBLICATION, and the Ordinance was read for a first reading by Deputy Clerk Smith
by title only.
GREEN SWAMP.
Mayor Smoak advised he had received a color-coded map from the Department of State
Planning, designating those area of land south of Clermont which are currently
of critical state concern, such area to be recommended to Governor Graham and the
Cabinet to be deleted. The area recommended to be deleted encompasses approximately
9,200 land acres, and is virtually all lands requested by him to the Senate to be
deleted. He further expressed his sincere appreciation to Senator Vince Fechtal
for his cooperation and support in this endeavor.
There being no further business to be brought before the Council at this time, the meeting
adjourned to a Budget Review Session at 8:25 P.M.
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CLAUDE E. SMOAK, JR., - ayor
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JAN SMITH - DEPUTY CITY CLERK